November 2003 Questionable

Socially, skateboarders are the outsider’s outsiders. But inside we know what really counts—riding everything, inside out.

This Month’s Questionable Question: Is skating better inside or outside?

“Outside, you can get a farmer’s tan!—Rob Kanabus, Windsor, Ontario, Canada

“I think skating outside is better than skating inside, unless of course you live in a place with bad winters, then an indoor skatepark is better. When you skate outside, you get fresh air, and you don’t get all pale like kids who play Magic: The Gathering all day. “Either way, skating is the best—Pugsrule, Place One

“Skating is better outside because it can always change, but on the other hand skating inside is good too because there’re no cops to bother you.—Josh, Binghamton

“I prefer skating inside because I live in England and it’s always raining.—Sam Reimer, England, F-Row

“Outdoor is best. It’s free, no pads needed, big, and you can come and go as you like.—Anon, Place 2

“Well, I skate anything I can, even if it’s a fifteen-by-ten-foot slab in the garage. But if I had to choose I would say outside because you don’t feel trapped. When you’re outside you’re free and able to do anything, and most of the time inside skating means helmet and some kind of mucho dinero spending.—Anon, Place

“I think skateboarding is skateboarding, and it doesn’t matter if it’s inside or outside as long as there’s somewhere to skate.—Sammy Gardner, Sacramento, California

“Can a pigeon fly inside if the air-conditioning is on? Figure that out and you will know the answer to your ridiculous question.—Dimitri, South Africa

“I think skateboarding is definitely better outside. When you’re inside it’s crowded and there’s nowhere to go. When you’re outside you can spread out and not be all cramped in some poorly air-conditioned warehouse.—Anon, Place 4

“Skating outside adds so much more to your session. Feeling the sun on you, dodging people while cruising a sidewalk, or feeling the cool breeze while bombing down a hill. If you’re inside, then you aren’t getting the full experience.—Parker Bossley, British Columbia, Canada

“Gotta be outside. It can be windy, sunny, humid, whatever. It makes things more interesting. I don’t skate in the rain much, but if it’s barely raining, you can do fun stuff like long powerslides.—Ed, United Kingdom

“I live in Norway. Norway is north, and north means no skateboarding outdoors other than in the summer/springtime.If you, like me, have to skate the same old skatepark every day for six months, you understand how good it is just to bring your board outside, cruise down the streets, and have fun. “Outdoor skateboarding is the best. No doubt.—Daniel, Norway

“Because I have a mini ramp, skateboarding is better outside for me in the summer. But because I live in Canada and snow falls during the winter, I like to skate inside instead of dying from the harsh Canadian temperatures.—Stuart McLeod, Port Williams, Nova Scotia, Canada

“In the middle of December when it’s zero degrees outside skateboarding is a lot better inside.—Bart Sequin, Linwood, Michigan

“Personally, I think skateboarding is better indoors because I grew up skating in indoor facilities. Indoor parks are good because of weather control and for learning new tricks, but once you got your tricks on lockdown, it’s essential to take your skills to the outdoor elements.—Ugonna Igweatu, Bronx, New York

“I think skating outside is fun because you got the sun shining down on you, there’s unlimited terrain to skate, and there’s no stop to it. Thaat’s why it’s sort of better than inside. But skating inside at indoor skateparks is cool, too, because of the freedom to create different lines and get hyped by so many people. In an indoor skatepark you can meet different people from different places and have a lot of fun.—Anon, Place 5

“Skateboarding is way better outside because you get fresh air. It also gives you better obstacles and all that crap. Besides, being outside is better for you overall, and the ground isn’t all slippery like in wooden parks. I would rather skate outside than inside any day.—Anon, Place 6